It took the Jacksonville Jaguars a few weeks, but they seem to have finally hit their stride on offense. In fact, they've scored 30 points or more in three of the last two weeks. Coincidentally, the Jags won two of those two games. While they owe some of their success to Trevor Lawrence and a much improved offensive line, other players have also shown out. Tank Bigbsy is one of them.
After an unremarkable rookie campaign, Bigsby has become a key cog on the Jacksonville offense and one of the most fun running backs to watch.
If you don’t know, now you know.@tank_bigsby | @GEICO
— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) October 23, 2024
Even though the former Auburn Tiger isn't among the top 25 rushers in the NFL seven weeks into the season, his 6.2 yards per carry is tied with Lamar Jackson for second in the league. But as impressive as he is, head coach Doug Pederson says that Tavis Etienne remains the top option in the Jags' backfield, pointing out that he won't lose his job because of injury.
Etienne missed the Week 7 win with a hamstring injury but has been outplayed by Bigsby even when he's healthy. Based on production, the latter deserves to be the starting running back. On the other hand, it doesn't make sense to outright demote Etienne.
Bigsby will continue to have a big workload, but the coaching staff will employ a backfield committee to keep him and Etienne as fresh and effective as possible.
You could argue that the Jaguars should lean more on Bigsby, but their current approach has been working. Maybe he'll see an uptick in playing time but not enough to make Etienne an afterthought. That said, the sophomore running back isn't the only Jaguar who's played well enough to earn more snaps. Here are three more who come to mind.
Walker Little, offensive tackle
The Jaguars could've traded or released Cam Robinson in the offseason to free up $17 million in cap space. This made sense when you consider that they had a capable replacement in Walker Little. Ultimately, they decided to keep both offensive tackles.
Robinson gave up four sacks and 13 sacks in the first three games of the season. However, he turned the corner and has played much better in recent weeks. Unfortunately, the Alabama product suffered a concussion in Week 7 and is out until he clears protocol. Little immediately stepped in his place and the offense didn't miss a beat. On 20 pass-blocking snaps against the New England Patriots, the former Stanford Cardinal didn't give up a single pressure.
In fact, Little has previously fared well in relief of Robinson. Surprisingly, he's failed to earn a full-time role in Jacksonville, but he's played well enough to make you think that he would hold his own if the Jags traded Robinson before the deadline.
Parker Washington, wide receiver
Like other Jaguars on offense, Christian Kirk got off to a slow start to 2024, catching two receptions for 30 yards in the first two games of the season. He's played like his reliable self in recent weeks, but his presence has made it difficult for sophomore Parker Washington to get more playing time.
Kirk and Washington mostly line up in the slot, so there aren't enough snaps for both. That said, the coaching staff should consider giving the latter more playing time.
A fifth-round pick in last year's draft, Washington didn't get much playing time early in his rookie season but was pressed into action when Kirk missed the last four games with a core injury. He finished 2023 with 15 receptions for 132 yards with two touchdowns.
After showing promise as a rookie, Washington earned praise from the coaching staff in the offseason. Then, the preseason came, and he put his talent on full display, scoring a touchdown as a receiver and returning a punt for a big gain.
More recently, Washington became the team's primary returner when Devin Duvernay landed on Injured Reserve. He wasted no time, showcasing his playmaking skills on a 96-yard return for a touchdown in Week 7.
PARKER WASHINGTON. 96-YARD PUNT RETURN TD.
— NFL (@NFL) October 20, 2024
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With Kirk in the fold, Washington won't be getting much playing time on offense, but the coaching staff should look for ways to get him more involved on offense moving forward.
Brenton Strange, tight end
The Jags severely missed Evan Engram when he suffered a hamstring injury that forced him to sit out four games. However, Brenton Strange stepped in during his absence, registering 10 receptions for 120 yards with two touchdowns during his absence.
Engram is back, and his presence has given the offense a massive boost. The downside of having him back in the lineup is that Strange has once again taken a backseat. The past two games, the former Penn State Nittany Lion has been targeted just twice.
Granted, Engram remains T1, and Jacksonville will try to feed him the ball as much as possible. On the other hand, the coaching staff should look for ways to also get Strange involved.